Rio Olympics 2016: Laura Trott and Great Britain break world record women’s team pursuit to qualify for final
Quartet of Trott, Joanna Rowsell-Shand, Elinor Barker and Katie Archibald rewrite history after winning gold in London
LAURA TROTT helped Britain storm to a second world record in qualifying for the women's cycling team pursuit final.
After GB clinched the four-man, four-kilometres event on Friday, Trott, Joanna Rowsell-Shand, Elinor Barker and Katie Archibald did the business after qualifying in a world record on Thursday.
USA bettered their world record - of four minutes 13.260 seconds - by 0.28 in their first round, which was effectively a semi-final, clocking 4mins 12.282secs.
But GB clawed back their record in four minutes 12.152 seconds.
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Britain needed only to beat Canada to advance to the final, but with the gauntlet laid down by their rivals won in 4:12.152.
Trott is bidding for her third Olympic gold and Rowsell-Shand her second, after both won the event at London 2012 on 'Super Saturday', with Dani King.
The event has since been expanded to feature four riders over 4km, but Britain stuck with the same quartet used in the first round, leaving Ciara Horne in reserve.
Canada were two seconds behind with 1km to go and had already lost a rider, meaning Britain's progression was something of a formality.
Rowsell-Shand peeled off and Britain still went quicker than ever.
The bronze medal ride-off will be between Canada and New Zealand after Australia, world record holders entering the Games, finished fifth fastest in the first round.
Australia were disrupted by a training crash last week.